diff --git a/src/composer/cli/utilities.py b/src/composer/cli/utilities.py
index 5170c636..97f348e0 100644
--- a/src/composer/cli/utilities.py
+++ b/src/composer/cli/utilities.py
@@ -58,17 +58,28 @@ def handle_api_result(result, show_json=False):
 
     :param result: JSON result from the http query
     :type result: dict
+    :rtype: tuple
+    :returns: (rc, errors)
+
+    Return the correct rc for the program (0 or 1), and whether or
+    not to continue processing the results.
     """
     if show_json:
         print(json.dumps(result, indent=4))
-
-    for err in result.get("errors", []):
-        log.error(err)
-
-    if result["status"] == True:
-        return 0
     else:
-        return 1
+        for err in result.get("errors", []):
+            log.error(err)
+
+    # What's the rc? If status is present, use that
+    # If not, use length of errors
+    if "status" in result:
+        rc = bool(not result["status"])
+    else:
+        rc = bool(len(result.get("errors", [])) > 0)
+
+    # Caller should return if showing json, or status was present and False
+    exit_now = show_json or ("status" in result and rc)
+    return (rc, exit_now)
 
 def packageNEVRA(pkg):
     """Return the package info as a NEVRA
diff --git a/tests/composer/test_utilities.py b/tests/composer/test_utilities.py
index 9005e1ad..d8e5d58e 100644
--- a/tests/composer/test_utilities.py
+++ b/tests/composer/test_utilities.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import unittest
 
 from composer.cli.utilities import argify, toml_filename, frozen_toml_filename, packageNEVRA
+from composer.cli.utilities import handle_api_result
 
 class CliUtilitiesTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_argify(self):
@@ -45,3 +46,48 @@ class CliUtilitiesTest(unittest.TestCase):
                    "version": "10.0"}
         self.assertEqual(packageNEVRA(epoch_0), "basesystem-10.0-7.el7.noarch")
         self.assertEqual(packageNEVRA(epoch_3), "basesystem-3:10.0-7.el7.noarch")
+
+    def test_api_result_1(self):
+        """Test a result with no status and no error fields"""
+        result = {"foo": "bar"}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=False), (0, False))
+
+    def test_api_result_2(self):
+        """Test a result with errors=["some error"], and no status field"""
+        result = {"foo": "bar", "errors": ["some error"]}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=False), (1, False))
+
+    def test_api_result_3(self):
+        """Test a result with status=True, and errors=[]"""
+        result = {"status": True, "errors": []}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=False), (0, False))
+
+    def test_api_result_4(self):
+        """Test a result with status=False, and errors=[]"""
+        result = {"status": False, "errors": []}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=False), (1, True))
+
+    def test_api_result_5(self):
+        """Test a result with status=False, and errors=["some error"]"""
+        result = {"status": False, "errors": ["some error"]}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=False), (1, True))
+
+    def test_api_result_6(self):
+        """Test a result with show_json=True, and no status or errors fields"""
+        result = {"foo": "bar"}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=True), (0, True))
+
+    def test_api_result_7(self):
+        """Test a result with show_json=True, status=False, and errors=["some error"]"""
+        result = {"status": False, "errors": ["some error"]}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=True), (1, True))
+
+    def test_api_result_8(self):
+        """Test a result with show_json=True, errors=["some error"], and no status field"""
+        result = {"foo": "bar", "errors": ["some error"]}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=True), (1, True))
+
+    def test_api_result_9(self):
+        """Test a result with show_json=True, errors=[], and no status field"""
+        result = {"foo": "bar", "errors": []}
+        self.assertEqual(handle_api_result(result, show_json=True), (0, True))